Research

Our leadership in the area of medicinal plant production and processing has been recognized by eight Small Business Innovation Research awards from USDA and the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Here you will find information regarding that work as well as other scientific information pertaining to goldenseal.

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Cultivation research, Scientific Articles, Regulatory Activities.

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Goldenseal, Natural Remedy For A Wide Range Of Internal Parasites

Goldenseal is a forest understory plant native to the deciduous forests of Eastern North America. Its nutritional benefits have been recognized for hundreds of years with goldenseal being primarily used as a remedy for digestive complaints.

While historical usage provides a strong basis for use today, many ask if there is any scientific evidence to support those uses. As a part of our USDA and National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored research relating to goldenseal, an extensive database of scientifc literature regarding goldenseal's potential actions on body function was compiled.

Multiple actions were documented regarding goldenseal's potential beneficial effects during times of digestive imbalances such as those caused by fungal and bacterial infections as well as parasites such as Giardia lamblia. See our Digestive Support FAQ.

The ultimate evidence though is presented by those that have used it.

Here's what one of our many customers had to say.

Hi there,

Well, I have contacted you off and on and told you briefly about how much I love your product but I never fully explained how much your goldenseal product changed my life.

In July 2004 I went out to Southern California on vacation and did NOT follow my usual strict guidelines and drank some water and prepared foods in questionable facilities. About 10 days after returning I started having horrible horrible cramping and pains about 45-90 minutes after eating anything. I would have about two to five minutes to find a restroom and would feel a bit better after “emptying” but sometimes I felt shaky.

This went on for close to a month. I had an OB/GYN check up and told that doctor what I was suffering with and she immediately said Giardia, since she had it in the past from a trip out of the country. That made me take action and I went to see my PCP who ran tests for bacteria and also sent me for a scan. They found nothing.

Finally listening to my request, she did one stool sample for parasites, which came back negative. In the meantime I kept up with this awful cycle and pretty much quit eating to stop the madness! I ended up in the ER, severely dehydrated and getting additional tests. They diagnosed me with IBS. I didn’t believe it.

I went to a GI specialist who ran the same battery of tests and wanted to ultimately perform a colonoscopy. I drank the pre-test stuff and it all came back up and never had the test that I believed I didn’t need by then.

Now it is September and things have calmed a bit digestively. No foods trigger things differently and I had no stress at the time. I started researching online and firmly believed then that I had Giardia from my symptoms and the additional research. When going back to the GI doctor I was rebuffed with the explanation that my stool was tested. I explained that it could be tested 10 times and never get a positive.

Through the months I would go through short time periods of the “cycle” as I call it. It never stuck long and nothing seemed to help it or alter it. Finally, in the middle of a cycle and fed up with it, I went online and put in Giardia natural treatment and discovered your website. I read how the Goldenseal Advanced should be taken, read the studies about the results and thought it was a last ditch effort before bucking up and going back to the medical community to beg someone to listen.

I received my order timely and even emailed you about mixing alternatives since I wasn’t too keen on the taste. I ended up drinking it with grape juice and thought that even if the treatment was “explosive” that it couldn’t be any worse than what I had been going through for the past year.

I can say that after two days on Goldenseal Advanced that I felt more like myself than I had for months and months. I never did have anything severe happen while taking Goldenseal Advanced. In fact, I was at the end of one of my “cycles”, complete with almost another 8 lbs lost in three weeks when I started with Goldenseal Advanced and I didn’t even really empty much on it. In fact, I haven’t had another cycle (which I should have had by now in how it historically had been going for me) since completing the Giardia treatment. I am back to normal digestively and can’t tell you how grateful I am to you for that.

Your product is fantastic and it works. I encourage anyone who suspects a parasite like Giardia to try Goldenseal Advanced. I would recommend you to anyone! Your product gave me back my health, my life and my peace of mind.

The Science Behind Goldenseal

Our NIH research indicated that a number of active ingredients in goldenseal may assist the body in maintaining a healthy balance of intestinal flora while providing a soothing effect on inflammed intestinal linings. One of those ingredients, berberine, has been shown to be comparable to the effectiveness of metronidazole, a commonly prescribed anti-parasitic drug.

In one study regarding berberine conducted in India, a total of 137 children (ages 5 months to 14 years, median age 5 years) with documented giardiasis were given 10mg/kg/day in divided doses, for a period of 5 or 10 days. They were then compared with 242 subjects placed on conventional therapy, including 88 who received metronidazole (20mg/kg/day for 5 to 7 days). 90% of those receiving berberine had negative stool specimens after 10 days, and 83% remained negative one month later. This compared favorably with those treated with metronidazole, 95% and 90% respectively. The author of the study concluded the report by citing berberine's "convenience of administration and freedom from unpleasant side effects. In a similar study, 48% of those receiving berberine were symptom free after 6 days compared with only 33% of those receiving metronidazole*.

Goldenseal Advanced™ Digestive Support was specifically developed for use in NIH funded human studies but is now available without prescription as a dietary supplement. It is a whole plant goldenseal product scientifically formulated to support the elimination of internal parasites including Giardia, without unpleasant side-effects such as pain and cramping*.

Best of all, at eight times the concentration required to 100% inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Goldenseal Advanced™ indicated no inhibition of Lactobacillus acidophilus, a "friendly" organism often killed when conventional treatments are used.

No complicated formulas or protocols, just determine the daily dosage, based on your body weight, using the chart below. Add that amount of Goldenseal Advanced™ to your diet for five days for a cleanse that will not only assist your body rid itself of parasites but is also wonderfully soothing to the entire digestive system.

Many other examples relating to goldenseal's potential effectiveness in a variety of situations can be cited including cases of bacterial diarrhea, Staph., E. coli, Strep, and Candida infections as well as Leishmaniasis in both dogs and cats*.

The amount to consume is based on weight, whether in animals or humans and should be divided into three or four doses per day for a period of at least 5 days. Sleepy Hollow Farm's Goldenseal Advanced is easy to use, simply mix the required amount with water or juice. See chart below.

Many have reported back to us that a second round consumed 30 days after the first tends to completely eliminate the issues.

Why Should I Buy From Sleepy Hollow Farm?

With new and increased demand for natural health care products, Sleepy Hollow Farm is setting the standard for goldenseal product development through our USDA and NIH sponsored research. Strategic partnerships with the research facilities of seven major universities and our commitment to medicinal plant research has given us access to expertise and technology matched only by the largest pharmaceutical companies.

Goldenseal has potential to be effective against a wide range of digestive imbalances however, increased demand has led to overcollection from the wild. Our products begin with fresh herbs selectively hand harvested from the forest floor and sunny meadows of our farm. We then transform these herbs into an array of health enhancing products.

Our goldenseal extracts are produced in an FDA Good Manufacturing Practices compliant facility from goldenseal grown on the certified organic plantations of our grower cooperative, not wild collected plants. Produced with an attention to detail that only a family run operation can deliver, our products are potent, environmentally friendly, and unsurpassed in quality.

We unconditionally guarantee your satisfaction with our products or your purchase price will be cheerfully refunded. In fact, since goldenseal has such a wide range of potential uses, we are sure that once you see the difference goldenseal can make in your life, you medicine chest will never be without it!!!

Order the larger sizes and SAVE!!

Sounds Fair Enough To Me. How Do I Order?

Simply click on the Order Here link opposite the products you wish to order on the list below. Then follow the instructions on filling in your shipping and payment information.
You may also call us at 706-259-7647 from 9am to 6pm eastern time, Monday through Saturday.
In stock and ready to ship. Orders placed by 12:00 pm eastern time will ship the same day!!
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(As recommended by the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.)

Goldenseal is considered safe for short-term use in adults at recommended dosages. Rare side effects may include nausea and vomiting.

There is little information about the safety of high dosages or the long-term use of goldenseal.

Goldenseal may cause changes in the way the body processes drugs, and could potentially alter the effects of many drugs.

Other herbs containing berberine, including Chinese goldthread (Coptis trifolia) and Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), are sometimes substituted for goldenseal. These herbs may have different effects, side effects, and drug interactions than goldenseal.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid using goldenseal. Berberine, a chemical in goldenseal, can cause or worsen jaundice in newborns and could lead to a life-threatening problem called kernicterus.

Goldenseal should not be given to infants and young children.

Tell all your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease. This statement is required by the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Support for this work is gratefully acknowledged from a series of Small Business Innovation Research Awards from the United States Department of Agriculture/National Institute for Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) and the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine(NIH/NCCAM). The opinions expressed are those of the Author and do not necessarily represent those of USDA/NIFA and/or NIH/NCCAM.